Scrutiny over alleged World Cup nepotism toward Argentina has increased following the appointment of the “Messi Favourite referee” for the upcoming semifinal clash against England on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, FIFA confirmed that Ismail Elfath would be the man in the middle for Wednesday’s mega clash in Atlanta, which will be the most high-profile fixture of his career.
It’s understood that Elfath has officiated on four previous occasions where Messi has won.
Three times in the MLS, including the league’s Cup final, his first trophy in the US, as well as being part of the officiating team during the 2022 final in Qatar.
A statistic which has attracted the many to dub the Moroccan-born official as “Messi’s favorite.”
The officiating for Argentina has come under severe scrutiny following several plays including which many fans believe have been ruled in favour of the champs.
Most notably, an unsanctioned Messi’s tackle on the calf of Algeria’s Aïssa Mandi in their round of 32 match.
However, a similar challenge by United States’ Folarin Balogun saw him sent off in the 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, drawing into focus a seemingly inconsistent application of the rules.
Conversely, following the denial of an Egypt penalty call in their round of 16 game versus the cup holders, who eventually won 3-2. Speculation of FIFA’s favouritism has amplified heading into the final four.
With a spot in the final on the line, a majority of the attention may for the first be on the refereeing instead of players.
